The present invention relates to an image reproducing systems and apparatus, and more particularly relates to a digital document scanner or digital copier system that employs a support assembly for supporting a document in a selected scanning position.
Presently, it is desirable as an adjunct to electronic document production to acquire image information directly from printed original documents. Typically, image information is acquired by placing a document, such as a bound document, directly on a flat platen surface of a scanner or copier. A conventional input scanner suitable for acquiring such an image are flat bed type scanners, which are well known and well characterized in the art. A typical problem associated with acquiring images of text contained in the bound document is the potential damage incurred by the spine of the bound document when opened and opposing faces of the bound document are placed on the platen surface of the flat-bed scanner. This problem is particularly acute when copies are made of text in rare or historically important books.
In order to address this problem, prior art raster-type input scanners, as provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,636,006, 5,619,302 and 5,012,275, employ a pyramidal shaped platen surface for laying the book over the sides of the platen to acquire an image of one or more faces of the bound document without unduly stressing the document spine. A problem with such arrangements is that it requires elaborate optical assemblies for acquiring the image data directly from the bound document. Other conventional raster-type scanners and copiers employ a book edge formed along an edge of the platen surface in order to reduce stress on the spine. Generally this type of housing arrangement provides a platen supported horizontally relative to a general document support surface attached to a side of the housing, with the platen edge meeting an upper edge of the support surface in order to allow the bound document to be draped over the side of the machine. This housing arrangement supports the facing pages of the bound document in positions intended to reduce the stress on the spine. However, scanners of this type also employ complex optical arrangements in order to adequately capture an image information from the document.
A common overall problem with the image input or reproducing devices described above is that they do not provide for significant flexibility in handling and manipulating image data acquired directly from the original bound document. Hence, this necessitates handling the rare book multiple times, which can further increase the risk of damage to the bound document.
Another drawback of the prior-art image reproducing devices is that do not allow for manipulation of the acquired image data, for subsequent use in formats different than the originally available image.
Hence, there still exists a need in the art for improved image acquisition devices that can acquire image data from bound documents without damaging the document spine, while concomitantly capturing the image data in a format that allows for easier downstream data processing and manipulation. In particular, an image acquisition arrangement that provides for easier document handling and image data manipulation would represent a major improvement in the art.
The invention will next be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments. However, it should be clear that various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The present invention provides for a digital input scanner suitable for copying bound documents. The scanner comprises a scanner base portion, and a bound document support assembly attached to a top of the scanner base portion. The support assembly includes a generally horizontal top platen support surface and a plurality of exterior side surfaces. A digital scanning assembly is supported within at least a portion of the scanner base portion for acquiring an image of a portion of the bound document, and for generating an output digital signal representative of the acquired document face. The scanner components are arranged such that one of the exterior side surfaces of the support assembly has a canted surface, and the canted side surface and the top platen support surface form an oblique angle therebetween. According to one aspect, these surfaces are positioned such that the top platen support surface and the canted side surface support opposing faces of the bound document during use.
According to another aspect, the canted side surface of the digital scanner includes a first canted top surface that forms a common edge with the top platen surface, and a second canted surface that extends outwardly and away from the first canted surface. In this arrangement, the first canted surface is transverse to the second canted surface. The oblique angle formed by the surfaces is between about 90 degrees and about 155 degrees, and is preferably about 148 degrees.
According to still another aspect, the digital scanner includes a rigid support element attached to the second canted surface for further supporting one of the faces of the bound document during use.
According to yet another aspect, the scanner support assembly when attached to the top of the scanner base portion is configured as an upper extension of the scanner base, such that it extends completely upwardly from the scanner base portion in order to facilitate support of the bound document during use. Hence, in this configuration, the support assembly is not simply a clip-on side piece, but rather forms an integral extension of an upper portion of the scanner base.
The present invention also provides for a digital input scanner suitable for copying bound documents, comprising a scanner housing having a generally horizontal top platen support surface for supporting a platen, and a plurality of exterior side surfaces, and a digital scanning assembly mounted within the housing. The digital scanning assembly includes a light source for illuminating an underside of the top platen surface, a plurality of photosensitive elements positioned to receive light reflected from the underside of the platen surface and for generating electrical output signals, and a digital converter for converting the electrical output signals into digital output signals representative of the acquired image. According to one aspect, one of the scanner side surfaces has a canted surface that abuts the top platen surface along a top edge. The side surface and the top platen support surface are positioned relative to each other to form an oblique angle therebetween. The top platen support surface and the canted side surface support at least a portion of opposing faces of the bound document during use. The scanner side surface comprises a first canted top surface that forms a common edge with the top platen support surface, and a second canted surface that extends outwardly and away from the first canted surface. The first canted surface is preferably transverse to the second canted surface.
According to another aspect, the digital scanner includes a rigid support element that is attached to the second canted surface for further supporting one face of the bound document during use.
According to still another aspect, the digital scanner includes an output digital communication pathway coupled to the digital scanning assembly for transferring the digital signals to a remote processing device.
The present invention further contemplates a digital scanning system suitable for copying bound documents, comprising a digital scanner or scanning stage having a base portion, a bound document support assembly attached to a top of the scanner base portion, and a digital scanning assembly supported within the base portion for acquiring an image of the bound document and for generating an output digital signal representative of the document. One of the side surfaces of the support assembly has a canted surface that forms an oblique angle relative to the top surface. The system also includes a printer module disposed in communication with the digital scanner for receiving the digital output signals.
According to one aspect, the printer module receives the digital output signals from the digital scanner, and has a data manipulation or control stage for copying a portion of a face of the bound document, manipulating the image according to user input instructions, storing the image in a suitable memory module, and transferring multiple copies of the image onto a single substrate.
According to another aspect, one of the scanner side surfaces includes a first canted surface that forms a common edge with the top platen support surface, and a second canted surface that extends outwardly and away from the first canted surface, such that the first canted surface is transverse to the second canted surface.
Other general and more specific objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be evident from the drawings and description which follow.